In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Kira and Dan unpack what it really means to move from “less math” to “more ministry.” Many pastors feel stuck managing finances instead of leading people, but the real issue isn’t just money, it’s a lack of clarity and systems.

This conversation reframes church finances as a tool to fuel mission, not compete with it. By aligning every dollar with the church’s purpose and adopting a higher-level, “CFO mindset,” leaders can move out of the weeds of bookkeeping and into strategic, forward-looking decision-making.

Through practical examples and real stories, Dan and Kira show how understanding your finances empowers better stewardship, builds trust, and ultimately accelerates ministry impact, not slows it down.

One Key Takeaway

If you want more ministry, you have to identify where you’re stuck in “more math.”

Take time this week to pinpoint the areas where finances are creating confusion, friction, or distraction, whether that’s clunky systems, lack of clarity, or avoidance altogether. Awareness is the first step toward building systems that actually support your mission.

Resources Mentioned

• Parable (church financial systems & support)
• Distilled Podcast (for ongoing church finance insights)

What can $18 billion in real church giving data teach us about generosity?

In this episode of Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple, Kira and Dan sit down with DeWayne McNally from Mortarstone to unpack insights from one of the most comprehensive generosity studies ever conducted—spanning 661 churches, millions of households, and nearly $18 billion in donations.

The data reveals a surprising tension: while overall giving and participation are rising, median giving is declining. In other words, more people are giving—but fewer are growing into consistent, mature givers.

This conversation explores what’s driving that shift, including the rise of early-stage givers, increased reliance on top donors, and changing year-end giving patterns. More importantly, it challenges church leaders to rethink generosity—not as a funding strategy, but as a discipleship journey.

One Key Takeaway

You don’t have a giving problem—you have a discipleship opportunity.
Without intentional guidance, new givers won’t naturally grow into consistent, generous stewards.

Resources Mentioned

• Mortarstone Annual Generosity Report
• Mortarstone Annual Giving Webinar
• Church Finance Made Simple resource hub

In this episode of Distilled, Kira Echeandia and Dan Pourbaix sit down with Craig Fatt from Injoy Stewardship to unpack a powerful framework for church generosity: the five seasons of church funding.

Too often, churches operate in constant “harvest mode”—asking for giving without cultivating the culture that sustains it. Craig explains how healthy church funding follows a natural rhythm similar to farming: prepare, plant, grow, harvest, and rest. When churches intentionally move through these seasons, generosity becomes discipleship rather than pressure.

The conversation explores what each season looks like in practice, why pastors often skip key stages like preparing and resting, and how churches can align their ministry calendar with a healthier rhythm of generosity.

Whether you're leading a church or shaping its financial strategy, this episode offers a practical framework for building a sustainable culture of generosity.

Key Takeaway

Healthy church generosity isn’t built through constant fundraising—it grows when churches intentionally walk through the five seasons of funding: prepare, plant, grow, harvest, and rest.

Resources Mentioned

• Injoy Stewardship
• 2026 Stewardship Planning Resource from Injoy Stewardship

Join us as we discuss:

• Why strategic pruning leads to financial health

• How to identify expenses that need to go

• A simple tool to refine your budget and fund your mission

  
  

Free Resource: Download our Expense Evaluation Tool to help you decide what to keep, reduce, or stop spending.

Subscribe for more insights on church finances.

One Key Takeaway: Donor restrictions can either support or sideline your mission—how you handle them determines the difference. Set clear expectations, communicate vision, and steward every gift with transparency and purpose.

Resources Mentioned: Explore more tools and insights at: www.churchfinancemadesimple.com

Key Takeaways

✅ Good vs. Great – Many churches allocate resources to good things that ultimately prevent them from funding the great things that align with their mission.
✅ Budget Assessment – A simple, structured evaluation can help churches prioritize spending where it makes the most impact.
✅ Practical Tool – Learn how to use the Ministry Assessment Tool to rank spending priorities and make informed financial decisions.

📌 Ministry Assessment Tool – Download Here

Have questions or insights from today’s episode? Share them with us!

Interested in more helpful church finance resources? Head to www.churchfinancemadesimple.com

In this episode of Distilled, Dan and Kira sit down with DeWayne from MortarStone for the third and final conversation in their year-end giving series. Together, they unpack why nonprofits consistently outperform churches in year-end fundraising—and what church leaders can do to change that.

DeWayne highlights the key differences: bold asks, impact-driven storytelling, and strong donor recognition. The discussion dives deeper into how generosity isn’t just a financial issue—it’s a discipleship one. From telling better stories about transformed lives to engaging different generations of givers, this episode equips pastors to align their financial conversations with their mission all year long.

One Key Takeaway: Start discipling your people around generosity—not just asking for gifts. Year-end giving isn’t a campaign to plan; it’s a continuation of a discipleship journey that should be woven throughout the year.

Resources Mentioned:

• MortarStone's Year-End Giving Resource⁠⁠

  ⁠⁠Parable Budgeting University⁠⁠

  Parable's Year-End Giving Guide⁠⁠

• Get in Touch with MortarStone⁠

We’re thrilled to kick off this journey with you! On Distilled, we tackle complex church financial topics and transform them into simple, actionable steps you can take to steward your church's resources wisely.

In This Episode:
Greg Daley, Chief Visionary of Parable Bookkeeping & Accounting for Churches, joins us to discuss a sobering statistic: the staggering amount of money projected to be stolen from churches in the coming year.

Together, we explore:

• Why and how money is stolen from churches.
• The most common vulnerabilities in church financial systems.
• Practical steps to protect your church and promote financial accountability.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the Risk: Theft in churches often stems from a lack of proper financial controls, making it easier for mismanagement or fraud to occur.
• Implementing Safeguards: Simple changes like dual sign-offs, transparent reporting, and regular audits can significantly reduce the theft risk.
• The Importance of Stewardship: Protecting your church's finances is part of your mission to steward God’s resources effectively.

Subscribe & Share:
If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Share this podcast with other church leaders to help them protect their church's finances too!

This episode continues the conversation with Mark Venti of Overflow and Generosity University, addressing the common pastoral struggle of talking about money in the church, especially amid congregational skepticism. Mark Venti highlights that Jesus spoke about money frequently, emphasizing stewardship and giving as matters of the heart, not just financial literacy. To overcome fear and build trust, pastors are encouraged to be both bold and vulnerable, reframing the conversation from needing something from the congregation to offering something to them—namely, the blessings and freedom that come from good stewardship and discipleship. A practical strategy offered is to utilize trusted outside voices, such as board members or lay leaders, to share financial transparency and reinforce the message.

One Key Takeaway:

The most important action item for any pastor is to talk about money unashamedly and boldly, focusing on stewardship and giving as acts of discipleship that benefit the congregation, rather than focusing solely on church needs.

Resources Mentioned:

Generosity University

In this episode of Distilled, Kira and Dan break down three critical mid-year financial review steps every church leader should take to set up for a strong finish. If your church operates on a calendar year budget, this is the perfect time to evaluate income, cash flow, and your ministry “wish list.” Dan shares practical tips and tools that help pastors and church finance teams make intentional, informed decisions that align with mission and vision—without defaulting to short-term thinking or reactive spending.

From assessing year-to-date giving and donor trends to reviewing your cash position and clarifying spending priorities, this episode is packed with wisdom and ready-to-use resources to help you steward the rest of your year well.

One Key Takeaway:

Pick one area—income, cash, or your wish list—and start today.

Whether you dig into giving trends, evaluate your cash flow, or organize and prioritize your ministry wish list, taking one intentional step now will set your church up for a stronger year-end and more mission-focused decision-making.

Resources Mentioned:

• ⁠Income Analysis & Projection Tool⁠ – Input your historical and current giving data to project year-end income.

• ⁠Expense Review Tool⁠ – Evaluate your spending to catch hidden expenses and get back on track.

• ⁠MortarStone⁠ – Donor analytics software to help you understand giving patterns, identify lapses, and plan discipleship strategies.

• ⁠Core Four Episode⁠ – A previous Distilled episode on the four numbers every church needs to know.

All tools and episode archives available at:⁠ churchfinancemadesimple.com⁠

Key Takeaways:

• No Gold Buckets, But Real Savings: Churches often waste money on redundant, unnecessary, or outdated expenses. Identifying and eliminating these costs is like discovering a hidden pot of gold for your mission.

• Commit to Clarity: Just like a doctor needs full information before making a diagnosis, church leaders need financial clarity to make sound decisions. Inaccurate or incomplete data can lead to poor choices that don’t align with the church’s true financial health.

The solution involves a three-pronged approach:

1. Teach biblical principles on giving.

2. Bring in neutral voices (like financial experts) to address money with credibility.

3. Provide financial literacy to help members get out of debt, as being financially strapped is the biggest barrier to tithing.

Mark discourages relying on annual fundraising events as "bailouts." He asserts that focusing on increasing the percentage of tithers will provide consistent income, aligning with the biblical economy.

Key Takeaway: Pastors must boldly teach the tithe and simultaneously provide financial literacy to unlock generous giving within their congregations.

Resources Mentioned: Generosity University

Dan breaks down what a Chart of Accounts is, why it matters, and how simplifying it can relieve burdens for ministry leaders, empower wise financial decisions, and keep every dollar aligned with your mission and vision. Whether you’re a pastor or ministry leader, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of how to use your COA to clearly communicate your church’s priorities—not just to your team, but also to your congregation.

One Key Takeaway:
Look at your Chart of Accounts and ask: is it simple, clear, and aligned with our mission and vision? If not—simplify it. Your financial reports should tell the story of your church’s priorities.

Resources Mentioned:

• Learn how Parable can help you simplify and align your COA by reach out to their team.

In this episode of Distilled, Kira Echeandia and Dan Pourbaix sit down with Parable founder Greg Daley and Church Economics expert Mark DeYmaz to unpack what it means to keep every dollar on mission. They explore why churches often lose financial focus as they grow, where the disconnect happens between mission and budget, and what pastors can do to align their finances with their calling.

Whether you're a lead pastor, executive pastor, or church finance leader, this episode will help you rethink how to steward your resources for maximum kingdom impact.

One Key Takeaway:
Good stewardship requires intentionality. Faith isn't passive—it calls for thoughtful action. Aligning your budget with your mission is how you move from doing good things to doing the best things.

Resources Mentioned:

• Church Budgeting Toolkit (free download)
• Parable Bookkeeping & Accounting
• Church Economics by Mark DeYmaz

What You’ll Learn:

Additional Resources:

Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes where we tackle more church finance challenges and solutions!

One Key Takeaway: An unintentional financial system creates confusion and risk; a clear, integrated financial operating system helps you fund what matters most.

Resources Mentioned: Church Financial Toolkit

Budgeting season doesn’t have to feel like a plunge into the unknown. In this episode of Distilled, we sit down with Joseph Plagge from Martus Solutions to talk about how pastors and ministry leaders can move past the fear and frustration often associated with budgeting. Joseph shares practical ways to reframe budgeting from a dreaded spreadsheet exercise into a mission-driven opportunity—one that fuels ministry impact and discipleship.

From simplifying financial language, to training ministry leaders, to even making budgeting season fun (yes, snacks are involved), this conversation helps you see budgets as more than numbers—they’re ministry plans in action.

One Key Takeaway

Budgeting is not just about filling out spreadsheets—it’s about aligning dollars with mission. When ministry leaders are equipped and engaged, budgets become powerful tools that tell the story of lives changed and resources stewarded for the kingdom.

Resources Mentioned

• Martus Solutions – Your Budget Season Prep Kit → Get the prep kit

• Parable Church Budgeting Toolkit → Download the toolkit

• Parable Budgeting University → Learn more & enroll

One Key Takeaway
Talking about money isn’t optional—it’s discipleship. When pastors lead confidently and equip their people, generosity grows and trust deepens.

Resources Mentioned

• Parable Budgeting University – Four-week program for building a mission-driven budget
• Distilled episode: The Four Numbers Every Pastor Needs to Know
• Conversation with Bob Lotich – Inspiring Generosity
• Generosity University – Tools for discipling in biblical generosity
• Church Finance Survey – Benchmark your church’s finances

In this conversation, Greg and Dan discuss innovative approaches to church funding, emphasizing the importance of exploring additional revenue streams beyond traditional giving. The discussion highlights various creative ideas for generating income, such as utilizing church spaces for events, forming partnerships with business leaders, and leveraging existing resources. The conversation concludes with practical steps for pastors to implement these ideas and access further resources.

Takeaways:

• Churches often rely solely on traditional giving for funding.
• Exploring additional revenue streams can enhance church missions.
• Utilizing church spaces creatively can generate income.
• Merchandise sales often do not yield significant profits.
• Engaging business-savvy individuals from the congregation can help.
• Companies exist to assist churches in generating revenue.
• Forming a group of business leaders can lead to innovative solutions.
• Churches can rent out unused spaces for income.
• It's important to ensure compliance with legal and tax obligations.
• Resources are available for churches to learn about funding options.

Learn More: https://liveyourparable.com/view-diverisfying-income-mark-deymaz/?pa_utm_source=distilled_show-notes_

In this episode, we address the second biggest mistake churches make when talking about money—not tying giving to the church’s mission and vision. Instead of simply sharing numbers, discover how to inspire your congregation by telling the stories of life change that their giving makes possible. We’ll share practical tips for painting a compelling picture of where your church is headed and how giving fuels that journey.

What You’ll Learn:

Additional Resources:

Your church’s story is powerful—don’t miss the opportunity to invite your congregation to be part of it. Subscribe for more episodes packed with insights to help your church thrive!

The discussion also covers churches' various options for obtaining strategic financial help, including hiring staff, utilizing volunteers, or partnering with specialized companies. The episode concludes with actionable takeaways for pastors, including a recommendation to complete a financial leadership assessment.

Takeaways

• The missing piece in church finance is strategic finance.
• Strategic finance involves aligning funds with the church's mission.
• Budgeting is essential for future planning and resource allocation.
• Without a budget, funds can be misallocated and wasted.
• Churches often need fractional financial help rather than full-time staff.
• Volunteers can provide valuable financial assistance but may lack consistency.
• Hiring a specialized company can offer broader insights and experience.
• Understanding financial health is crucial for church growth and sustainability.
• Pastors should prioritize strategic financial questions in their planning.
• Utilizing resources like financial assessments can improve stewardship.

Most pastors spend hours figuring out where ministry money should go, but almost zero time ensuring that money actually happens. In this episode of Distilled, Dan and Kira are joined by Craig Fatt from INJOY Stewardship Solutions to bridge the gap between "having a budget" and "having a funding plan". Craig reveals why a budget without a funding plan is like a "car without wheels" and why your leadership meetings need a "vision shift" from scarcity to abundance. If you've ever had to say "no" to a ministry dream because of a spreadsheet, this conversation is for you.

One Key Takeaway: The 1:1 Rule - For every hour you spend on your budget, you must spend an equal hour on how you are going to fund it.

Resources Mentioned:

• Free 2026 Stewardship Plan: https://stewardshipplan.injoystewardship.com/
• Pastor Roundtable (March 3rd): Focusing on building and construction. https://pastorroundtable.injoystewardship.com/

In this episode of Distilled, Kira and Dan welcome back Joseph Plagge from Martus Solutions to explore how church budgeting goes far beyond numbers—it’s a spiritual discipline rooted in stewardship. Together, they unpack why budgeting should be seen as an act of faithfulness and worship, not just an administrative task. By reframing budgets as tools for discipleship, pastors and leaders can align resources with God’s greater mission, prioritize what truly matters, and move beyond simply maintaining operations.

One Key Takeaway

Budgets aren’t just financial documents—they’re discipleship tools. When churches plan with eternity in mind, their financial decisions reflect obedience, worship, and alignment with God’s mission.

Resources Mentioned

• Parable Budgeting University – A four-week live online program to help pastors create a mission-aligned budget.

• Church Budgeting Toolkit – Practical resources for your next budget season.

• Martus Solutions – Budgeting Season Prep Kit

Key Takeaways:

• Every pastor should track four key financial numbers: get, keep, have, and gave.
• Understanding these numbers provides a clear picture of the church’s financial health.
• Tracking giving trends can reveal deeper issues within the congregation.
• Financial data should be viewed in context over time for better decision-making.
• Healthy savings can prevent financial crises and keep the church on mission.
• Giving patterns can reflect the spiritual engagement of the congregation.
• Pastors should regularly review these metrics with their leadership team.
• Utilizing financial tracking tools can simplify the process and increase accuracy.

Resources & Next Steps:

• Free Download: Church Financial Metrics Tracking Spreadsheet
• Download the Church Financial Toolkit for additional resources.
• Learn more about Parable’s bookkeeping services for expert financial support.
• Have questions or feedback? Reach out to us at marketing@liveyourpareble.com

Connect With Us:

• Subscribe for more insights on church finance.
• Leave a review to help others find the show.
• Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for more financial tips.

About the Show:
Distilled: Church Finance Made Simple is your go-to resource for cutting through the complexity of church finances. Each episode delivers practical wisdom to help pastors and church leaders steward their resources well—so you can focus on what truly matters: your mission.

This episode, featuring DeWayne from Mortarstone, focuses on why churches must segment their givers instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach. DeWayne explains that a giver's age, generation, and financial capacity—whether they're a top giver or someone giving their first $20—significantly changes their perspective and ability to give. Treating everyone the same can lead to disengagement and discomfort. To effectively disciple people in generosity, church leaders need to tailor their communication and stories to specific segments.

One Key Takeaway:

Identify and communicate with your giver segments to personalize the discipleship of generosity. An easy starting point is to understand your segments by using a tool like MortarStone's free Basic version, which will allow you to see the different segments of givers in your congregation and tailor your messaging accordingly.

Resources Mentioned:

• MortarStone's Year-End Giving Resource⁠

• ⁠Get in Touch with MortarStone⁠

One Key Takeaway:
Budgeting isn’t a once-a-year exercise—it’s a culture of collaboration, celebration, and trust that keeps every dollar on mission.

Resources Mentioned:

• Parable Budgeting Toolkit

• Parable Budgeting University (four-week online cohort)

• One-on-one budgeting services with Parable

• Martus Solutions – collaborative church budgeting and forecasting software

One Key Takeaway: Your real-world experience with church finances—successes, struggles, systems—is the missing piece in building tools and solutions that actually help. Add your voice to shape what’s next.

Resources Mentioned: Church Finance Survey

Host Dan and Kira discuss the critical need for churches to start planning their year-end giving strategy immediately with Mortarstone's Chief of Staff, DeWayne McNally. The major challenge for churches is that their congregations are already receiving communications from nonprofits, which treat year-end giving as their "Super Bowl". Nonprofits are effective because they focus on gifts from wealth and assets, not just cash flow. Since complex gifts like real estate or stock transfers take time, churches must begin making targeted asks and discipleship conversations early in the year. Churches must segment their givers (new vs. top givers) to help them take the next step in generosity. For overwhelmed Executive Pastors (XPs), the advice is to build a team with expertise in communications and financial planning to lead this effort.

One Key Takeaway:

Plan now, execute well, and ask your people to contribute to the mission by thinking about assets, not just cash flow.

Resources Mentioned:

• MortarStone's Year-End Giving Resource

• Parable Budgeting University

Mark explains that thriving churches are expanding beyond traditional giving by embracing new models of revenue generation. These include launching for-profit businesses, securing grants and external donations, and leveraging their existing assets to fund ministry. This shift isn’t just about generating income—it’s about increasing missional impact, engaging more people in meaningful work, and bringing life back to communities.

The conversation dives into the theological, sociological, and technological realities that are forcing this change and offers practical ideas for church leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve.

One Key Takeaway

Churches must diversify their funding models now to remain sustainable and impactful in the 21st century. This requires rethinking stewardship and intentionally exploring new sources of income that align with the church’s mission.

Resources Mentioned

• Books by Mark DeYmaz
  • Disruption
  • The Coming Revolution in Church Economics
• The Church Economist
  • www.churcheconomists.com – Offers tools like:
    • Church Economics Assessment (free 6–7 minute tool)
    • Sustainability Sprint – Helps churches build a customized funding roadmap
• Learn More About Parable

Gabe breaks down what’s changing in the health insurance landscape—including the removal of COVID-era subsidies, new opportunities with ICHRAs and QSEHRAs, and expanded options for cafeteria plans and HSAs.

If rising renewal costs have you rethinking your church’s health benefits strategy, this episode gives you practical insights to navigate the shift and take care of your team well.

One Key Takeaway: Don’t settle for a “group insurance or nothing” mindset. There are now more creative, affordable, and flexible ways for churches to provide quality coverage—start exploring all your options.

Resources Mentioned: Stewarded.io – Learn more about ICHRAs, QSEHRAs, and health insurance strategies for churches and nonprofits